True Modern Karma Stories - Story 03

6. Phobia of darkness

One day a 40 something laywoman came to visit Venerable Miaofa accompanied by her husband. She said she was afraid of the dark since young, not daring to enter any room without any lights on. Thus whenever it was near to dusk she would on all the lights in the bedrooms; otherwise she did not even have the courage to go in and on the lights. Even then if something fell and rolled under the bed or furniture, she also did not dare to stretch her hand into the shadow to retrieve it, being so afraid of seeing darkness. Since young she was brought to many hospitals and seen by many specialists, but none was able to identify her problem with all the money spent. This problem could not be treated all along and it was quite stressful for them.

The Master said she was a man in her previous life, and his family was so poor that they could not even afford to buy kerosene for their lamps. At the entrance of their village there lived a kind family. Whenever there was a moonless night they will hang a lit kerosene lamp outside their door to brighten the road for any passerby, so that they won’t be in fear of not being able to see the road clearly. This also served to indicate the location of the village to nighttime travelers. That man thought of stealing due to his poverty, and he often stole kerosene from that lamp at night. Because the lamp was extinguished, night travelers would become afraid as they couldn’t tell the direction in the dark. Such is the cause and such is the effect. Thus in this life she is afflicted with a phobia of darkness.

The laywoman had no doubt at all in what was revealed, but she was worried whether her present condition could be treated in consideration of the past causes. The Master told her that her condition would be gone since he already revealed to her the cause and effect. This was also one of the wholesome benefits that came from her Sutra and Buddha chanting in this life. It was as if one has a boil and when it’s ripe, one should squeeze it to let it burst. Venerable Miaofa also advised her to perform the “Precious Repentance of Emperor Liang” 7 times to expiate her unwholesome karma. The laywoman was totally convinced and went home.